Experts during the Red List Training and Assessment workshop.
DOHA: Seven percent of fish in the Gulf waters are facing extinction due to over exploitation for commercial fisheries and degradation of coral reefs, a workshop was told.
The Red List Training and Assessment Workshop examined the relative risk of extinction of Gulf fishes, based on data prepared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Regional Red List Assessment.
The event was jointly organised by the Global Marine Species Assessment (GMSA), Qatar University and Qatar Museums Authority, with support of the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF).
At the workshop, experts from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE and Iran met with international fish experts and representatives of the IUCN to assess the likelihood of extinction of marine fishes in the Gulf under the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.
The primary causes of decline in the populations of fishes are over-exploitation for commercial fisheries and widespread coral reef habitat degradation and modification, the workshop heard.
A total of 286 species were assessed including major commercial fishes such as Hamour (Epinephelus coioides), Chanad (Scomberomorus commerson) and Hamra (Lutjanus malabaricus). Colourful and iconic coral reef fishes such as A’samak Al muharij clark (Amphiprion clarkii) was also assessed under IUCN Red List methodology.
The majority of the species in the Gulf are listed as Least Concern (70 percent), meaning that these fishes are at relatively low risk of becoming extinct in the near future, six percent are listed as Data Deficient, and three percent are at heightened risk of extinction (that is, listed as either Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered).
Preliminary results suggest that a combination of unique environmental characteristics in the Gulf (extreme temperature regimes, oceanographic conditions), coupled with widespread external threats (coastal development, pollution, habitat degradation, exploitation), is contributing to higher vulnerability to extinction of these fishes.
The principal investigator for this assessment initiative, Dr Abdulrahman Al Muftah, Assistant Professor of Marine Sciences at Qatar University said, “results from this workshop have a profound impact on commercial fisheries and the millions of people who depend on coastal marine resources in the region.”
The workshop also highlighted the importance of intrinsic life history characteristics such as habitat preferences, high longevity, and complex trophic and reproductive methods as also causing increased likelihood of extinction of fishes in the region.
“The snapshot of this workshop provides an important baseline for the conservation status of a comprehensive suite of fishes in a unique and important region,” said Dr Fareed Krupp Project Manager at Qatar Museums Authority.
Improved knowledge of the conservation status of the fishes in the Gulf will not only allow us to combat the loss of biodiversity and plan for future climate change impacts in the region but will enable region-specific conservation actions to be enacted.
“Additional region-specific assessments are needed in order to understand how local pressures interact and how these threats are best mitigated through strengthened regional management initiatives,” added Dr Kent Carpenter, Lead Principal Investigator and Initiator of the project from Old Dominion University and the manager of the Marine Biodiversity Unit of the IUCN Global Species Programme.
The Peninsula
